Home // International Journal On Advances in Life Sciences, volume 9, numbers 3 and 4, 2017 // View article

Blended Learning Improves Physical Assessment by Nursing Students

Authors:
Machiko Saeki Yagi
Shigeki Tsuzuku
Natsuko Miura
Alan Kawarai Lefor

Keywords: nursing students; physical assessment; nurse education.

Abstract:
The ability to perform accurate physical assessment is an essential skill, which also contributes to developing the nursing process, and providing appropriate care. However, patient safety initiatives in some institutions limit opportunities for nursing students to receive adequate training. A blended learning system combining e-learning with simulation may provide the necessary training. However, learning outcomes for these methods have not yet been reported. We undertook this study to explore learning outcomes using a blended system to improve physical assessment skills of nursing students in Japan. The contribution of e-learning to improved physical assessment skills was evaluated in depth, as well as outcomes after training and the influence of blended learning on the desire to learn. From 82 junior nursing students who had completed physical assessment training, we recruited 46 students for this study. Each was assigned to one of two groups: a blended learning group or a simulation-only group. Objective assessment and subjective evaluation of the e-learning experience was performed during the study including a checklist by a proctor, and assessment at skill stations. All participants were able to greet the patient upon entering room and exit the room after a polite goodbye. All participants in the blended learning group were able to measure the patients’ vital signs and interpret the results. Scores of those in the simulation-only testing the ability to perform skills for assessment of side-effects of chemotherapy and excretion condition were lower than the blended group (88% vs 17% and 74% vs 17%). Participants in the blended group were more likely to make recommendations around "lack of balanced nutrition" and "risk for infection", as "consultation can help ensure that a diet plan is enacted", "Proposal to have an antiemetic administered", " Initiate hand washing", "Wearing mask", and " Initiate mouth washing ", while those in the simulation-only group were more likely to make recommendations regarding "Anxiety" and "follow-up examination". These results suggest that e-learning improves the ability of nursing students to evaluate vital signs and information gathering skills. Simulation training was effective because e-learning stimulated participants’ imagination of the simulation content. However, e-learning itself had no significant learning effect and simulation training enabled participants to perform the actual skills. Blended learning helped participants recognize the relevance of learning content to their professional practice. E-learning is effective in the study of assessment skills but must be combined with simulation to improve actual physical assessment, as a blended learning program.

Pages: 176 to 185

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2017. Used with permission.

Publication date: December 31, 2017

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2660